UKGC Outlines its Position Over In-Play Betting

The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has addressed concerns over in-play betting after the service was banned in Australia and has announced it will continue to allow in-play betting to operate.

The UKGC has stated that in-play betting “does not appear to generate specific risks to the licensing objectives as long as bettors are sufficiently aware of their position and the respective positions of other bettors and the betting operators.”

While the regulatory body did acknowledge that in-play betting could raise issues with regards to the fairness and transparency of betting, wagering integrity and the risk of harm, they did not find that it represented a “significant risk” to their licensing objectives compared to other forms of betting.

“We do not consider it necessary to intervene to prevent some players using technology advantages, such as faster connectivity speeds, to gain a competitive edge, provided it is clear to all players that this can be done,” the UKGC concluded.

The UKGC stressed that they will continue to monitor in-play betting, in the same way as they monitor other forms of gambling, to prevent any form of exploitation. It also requires all licensed operators to monitor punters for any sign of risk of harm from problem gambling.

“We will continue to monitor in-play betting for fairness and openness as part of our overall betting compliance program and take its particular characteristics into account in our wider work on integrity in sports (and other) betting and gambling related harm.”

The UKGC added: “We are aware that some countries have taken a more prohibitive approach toward in-play betting, for example, by restricting the markets that are available or the means by which in-play bets can be placed.”

In-play betting accounts for more than 60% of bets placed at major sportsbooks in the UK.